Cleansing the Temple

Mark 11:15-19

 

Message # 226 in the Restoration Series

 

Introduction: the cleansing of the temple took place on Monday after the triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  Thousands cheered Jesus as He rode into the city on the colt.  He was led up to the steps of the temple at this time to observe what was going on.

 

I.               Four things about the temple.

A.    Jesus was ending His ministry in the temple.

1.     This was His Father’s House of Prayer, the place where God’s presence dwells.

2.     This was fulfilling the will of God.

3.     He saw the corruption of the temple, where worshiping should be.

4.     Inside, He was broken and weeping.

5.     Before Him was a picture of the terrible sin for which He was to die.

6.     The temple had become anything but a house of prayer.

7.     Now it was a place of commercialism for man’s greed.

 

B.    Jesus was revealing who He was by cleansing the temple.

1.     Proclaiming to a generation that He had the right to determine how the temple was to be used.

2.     He was to purge, cleanse from its corruption.

3.     He was to make the temple a place praise, worship and prayer.

C.   Jesus was teaching how the was to be used

1.     How it was to be respected and treated.

 

D.   Jesus began and ended His ministry by cleansing the temple.

1.     The two cleansings were separate.

2.     They marked the opening and closing of His ministry.

3.     The temple, God’s House of Prayer, was demonstrated by His actions.

 

II.             Where Jesus went when He entered Jerusalem.

A.    Note where He did not go.

1.     To the place of a King

2.     To the courts of the rulers

B.    He went up to the temple, the House of God.

1.     Because His kingdom was not of this world.

2.     His was not a physical but a spiritual world.

C.   His authority and rule were in the Temple of God and the hearts of men.

1.     His mission was to cleanse the temple and demonstrate how it was to be used.

 

III.           Jesus entered the temple.  Vs 45

A.    He examined the layout of the temple; it consisted of two parts.

1.     The temple building

a.     A small ornate structure, which set in the center of the temple property.

b.     This building was called the Holy place or the Holy of Holies.

c.     Only the High Priest could enter once a year on the Day of Atonement.

2.     The temple precincts were four courtyards.

a.     Each of these decreasing in their importance to the Jewish mind. [High walls separated each]

b.     First was the Court of the Priest.

1.     Only priest were allowed to enter this court.

2.     Within stood the great furnishings.

3.     The Alter of Burnt Offerings, the Brazen Laver, the Seven Branched Lamp Stand, the Alter of Incense, and the Table of Showbread.

c.     Second was the Court of the Israelites.

1.     This was where Jewish worshipers met together for joint services on the great feast days.

2.     This was the area the worshiper handed over their sacrifices to the priest.

                              C. Third was the Court of the Women.

1.     Women were generally limited to this area except for joint worship on a great feast day.

                              D. The Court of the Gentiles was last.

1.     This was the least important courtyard and covered a vast are around the temple.

2.     Note: This is where Jesus entered and this is was the center of His anger.

3.     Think on this.  Are not great walls built today separating the Body of Christ?

 

IV.           Jesus cast some out of the temple.

A.    This happened in the Court of the Gentiles and five offences caused His reaction.

1.     Jesus cast out those who commercialized and secularized religion.

2.     The outer court became a commercial market place owned mostly by the priest.

3.     They were buying and selling sacrificial animals and birds to the worshipers.

4.     The inspection station for sacrificial animals was there.

5.     The moneychanger’s tables were there.

6.     Hundred of thousands of animals were sold at the great feast.

B.    Second, Jesus cast out those who desecrated God’s House.

1.     Those using the temple grounds for a thoroughfare.

2.     This court proved to be a short cut to other areas of the city.

3.     Jesus forbids this to be done.

 

C.   Third, Jesus cast out those who affected the atmosphere of prayer and worship.

1.     To Jesus, it was not just a building, but also a house of prayer.

2.     Jesus said, the temple is “My House”, Christ possesses the temple, and He is Lord, the Owner.

3.     None have the right to mistreat His House.

4.     “My House shall be called - - - the House of Prayer”

a.     The purpose of the house is prayer

b.     The church should be used so much for prayer, it would be called “The House of Prayer”

c.     It would be known for its communion, sharing, praising, requesting, giving thanks worship, praying.

5.     “My House shall be called of all nations the House of Prayer”.

a.     None to use it for any other purpose.

b.     So many ‘things’ hinder the atmosphere for prayer.

c.     John 4:24,  1Chronicals 16:29,  Psalms 95:6  Psalms 99:5

 

 

D.   Jesus cast out those who shut people out.

1.     The temple was to be a House of Prayer for all nations.

2.     Note two things.

a.     All, regardless whether male or female, Gentiles were to have access to the inner court as the Jewish men.

b.     The Court of the Gentiles was to have an atmosphere of praise and worship and prayer as the other sections.

c.     This was in the Lord’s mind; the temple was to be open to all for prayer and worship.

d.     Acts 10:34,  John 3:16

 

      Thought: Everyone is to have access to the Temple of God. No one is to be barred nor ignored in the temple. The church is to be open wide for all, and all are to know that it is “God House of Prayer” for each one.  All to know that they can pray, be welcomed.  This includes all.

 

E.    Jesus cast out those who changed the purpose of the temple.

1.     It was the priest themselves who altered the purpose of the temple.

2.     They took advantage of the worshipers in need of sacrificial animals.

3.     That was why booths, tables and such were set up in the Gentile court.

4.     To buy and sell was necessary and good, but not on the temple grounds.

 

V.             Jesus caused a re-action when the truth of the temple was proclaimed. Vs 18

A.    There were three re-actions against Him.

1.     Some sought to destroy Him.

2.     They wanted to stamp out His influence.

3.     He would force an end to their activities on the temple grounds.

4.     Thought:  How many today would be ‘gotten rid of ‘ if they really sought to cleanse the church of the abusers and secular activities often allowed and promoted within its walls.

5.     1Timothy 6:10,  James 5:3,  Proverbs 16:8

6.     Some were astonished at Jesus’ doctrine, at what He was teaching.

7.     Matthew 5:6,  Isaiah 26:9

8.     Last, other just didn’t care.

 

VI.           Jesus response.  Vs 19

A.    Jesus left when truth was rejected.

1.     He retired to a safe place because His time was not yet.

 

Conclusion: Restoration. To restore the sacredness of the “House of God: is so necessary.  We are to reverence this place we call ‘church’.  What Jesus did was clean out places others thought insignificant.  He said ‘all’; every part was a place of prayer and worship.  This is God’s House; let us treat it as such.